Last updated: 28th March 2024

With the end of 2023 fast approaching, it’s crucial that you take some time to find out what’s coming up for the housing sector in 2024 and how you can prepare your organisation’s next steps to make the year smooth sailing. To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a handy list summarising all the major updates to legislation coming in 2024 so you can pop these important dates into your calendar to feel at ease going into the new year!  

Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023   

In July 2023, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 (the Act) received Royal Assent and became law. This legislation will enhance the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) responsibilities and powers, providing them with a strengthened approach to regulating landlords. The Act means that starting in April 2024, they can assess landlords failing to meet standards more routinely and proactively, as well as taking action in a wider range of circumstances.  

Read the full legislation here. 

The Act will introduce other important reforms to the sectr to keep tenants safe, including an overhaul of the consumer standards. To find out more about these changes to legislation, watch our latest webinar ‘Housing Quality 2.0' on-demand.

Consumer Standards  

On 29th February 2024, the RSH  set out the revised consumer standards that will be apply to all registered housing providers and will replace the existing set from 1st April 2024. The guidance published includes the final consumer standards, documents explaining key changes and how the RSH will regulate, code of practice, plan for undertaking inspections, and the outcome on RSH's consultation on its guidance for using enforcement powers. You can access this guidance document here. 

The new standards are: 

• The Safety and Quality Standard 

This will include stock quality; decency; health and safety; repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements; and adaptations.  

• The Transparency, Influence, and Accountability Standard 

Focusing on fairness and respect, diverse needs, engagement with tenants, information about landlord services, complaints, and self-referral. 

• The Neighbourhood and Community Standard 

Ensuring the maintenance of shared spaces, local cooperation, safer neighbourhoods, and domestic abuse. 

• The Tenancy Standard 

Aimed at allocations and lettings, tenancy sustainment and evictions, tenure, and mutual exchange. 

To find out more about consumer standards, our experts were joined by special guest Angela Holden from the Regulator of Social Housing in our January webinar, ‘Consumer Regulation: Are you ready to meet the revised standards?’. Watch the webinar on-demand to discover what you should be doing to prepare for the revised regulatory consumer standards and proactive regulation that will apply from April 2024.  

Tenant Satisfaction Measures  

The introduction of the revised consumer standards will also include information on the RSH’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) that all social housing landlords must report on. The TSMs will help the sector to see how well landlords are doing in areas such as keeping properties in good repair, maintaining building safety, and effectively handling tenant complaints. 

The RSH has confirmed that landlords who own more than 1,000 homes must submit their first TSM data return by 30th June 2024, enabling the RSH to publish the first year of data by autumn 2024. Unsure how to record your TSMs? We’ve created a dedicated FAQ blog to give you all the TSM information you will need. Read our blog, ‘Preparing for Tenant Satisfaction Measures and Regulatory Changes’, here.

Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Info etc.) (England) Regulations 2023  

On 17th October 2023, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) laid out the Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2023, forming part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022. These regulations outline the standards that an Accountable Person must follow when maintaining golden thread information, explaining when the golden thread information must be given, and in what form. This legislation has been published but is yet to be enacted, meaning 2024 will see the full implementation of these regulations and you will have time to prepare your organisation.  

Additional information around the requirements of the golden thread to clarify the specific regulations around storing your information digitally is also expected to be published and enacted in 2024. To find out how to effectively use the golden thread, read our blog, ’10 Principles of the Golden Thread’, to discover the key components of creating a digital trail. 

Read the full legislation here. 

Building Safety Act 2022  

Under the new rules of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), registered building control approvers must register with the BSR by 6th April 2024 to continue to operate. This replaces the Approved Inspector register run by CICAIR. Read the full guidance for building control bodies and professionals working with BSR here. 

Developers of high-rise buildings must also ensure that works are sufficiently progressed and are required to notify the relevant authority confirming sufficient progress has been made with at least five days’ notice. Failing to meet these requirements, or if the local authority’s approved inspector does not register as a building control approver by 6th April 2024, then the authority will immediately pass to the BSR. 

Code of Conduct for Registered Building Inspectors  

The code of conduct for registered building inspectors sets out the standards of professional conduct and practice required of individuals fulfilling their role as a building inspector registered with the BSR. 

All registered building inspectors must carry out regulated building control activities, including assessing plans, inspections, and giving advice to control bodies involved in regulated functions. Current legislation means you must be registered as a building inspector to undertake these duties; after April 2024, it will become a criminal offence if you are not registered. Registered building inspectors in public and private sectors must comply with the code of conduct coming into force in April 2024. 

The Professional Conduct Rules for Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs) will also come into force from April 2024.  

Find out how to register as a building inspector here. 

Complaint Handling Code

The Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code will also become statutory from 1st April 2024, changing the way organisations resolve complaints raised by tenants. The Ombudsman will use the data and learning from complaints to drive service improvements and help to create a positive complaint handling culture amongst staff and tenants. For the Ombudsman's latest update on the new Code, click here. 

Decent Homes Standard  

Following the consultation in 2022, the government relaunched its review of the Decent Homes Standard in June 2023, committing to extend the standard to the private rented sector, as well as considering a range of changes that will be implemented in the near future, setting the minimum standard for the condition of social homes. These considerations include: 

• An updated list of items that must be kept in a reasonable state of repair for a home to be considered ‘decent’.  
• An updated list of services and facilities that every property must have to better reflect modern expectations for a ‘decent’ home.  
• Whether the current Decent Homes Standard sets the right standard on damp and mould to keep tenants safe.  
• Updates to how the condition of building components, such as roofs and walls, are measured, ensuring that buildings which are not fit for use cannot pass the standard.  
• The introduction of a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for the social rented sector. 

After the conclusion of the Decent Homes Standard review, new regulations (an ‘affirmative Statutory Instrument’) are required to bring the conclusions of the HHSRS review into force. Although there is no clear timeline, these will replace the current regulations, which prescribe descriptions of hazards, the method for assessing their seriousness, and the manner and extent of inspections of residential premises.  To discover more about the basics and upcoming changes to the HHSRS, register for our next free webinar, 'Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) 101', on Wednesday 17th April at 12pm. 

It has been an eventful year working towards improved housing with lots of new important legislation coming into force to keep buildings and tenants safe. 2024 will bring further updates to the housing sector so it’s important that you are prepared and understand how these changes will impact your organisation. From everyone at Pennington Choices, warm wishes for the holiday season and have a Happy New Year!  

If you need help understanding what these upcoming changes mean for your organisation and how to remain compliant, our experts are here to help!